Automatic toggle actuated grip wrench



Feb 28, i950 N. c. THAYER AUTOMATIC ToGGLE ACTUATED GRIP WRENCH Filed May 17. 1946 III/Ill"- www ' INVEN TOR. /VoRMA/VQE/A VfR. BY

/4 TTOP/Vf Y.

Patented Feb. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (Cl. SIP-84) Claims. l

This invention relates to improvements in wrenches and has reference more particularly to a wrench of the type known as pressure lock or vise grip wrenches.

It is the object of this invention to produce a wrench of the vise grip type that shall be so constructed that it will automatically adjust itself to the size of the nut or other article with which it is emplo-yed.

There is on the market today a type of wrench in which the jaws are operated by means of a lever and a toggle which are so related that when the wrench grips the nut the toggle will be in an overset position and hold the nut or other article with a vise-like grip. One abutment for the toggle is adjustable to t diierent sizes of nuts and bolts.

It is the object of this invention to produce a Wrench of the type mentioned in which the tog#- gle abutment will adjust itself automatically to a position corresponding to the size of the nut or other article to be clamped.

In order to explain this invention so that it may be readily understood, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the'invention has been illustrated in its preferred form, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing one side of the wrench and showing the parts in operative but closed position;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section having one side removed, showing the parts in fully open position by means of full lines and in an intermediate position by means of broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on a median' plane showing the parts in clamping position;

Figure 4 is a section taken'V on line ||-4,A Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5--5, Figure 2.

In the drawing reference numeral I0 designates a handle having one end provided with a rigid jaw Il. This handle is made from sheet metal folded into channelshape and has spaced sides I2 that extend from the jaw to a point indicated by reference numeral I3 where the sides are curved to form a substantially cylindrical hand grip portion. One side of the tubular part is provided with a longitudinal opening or slot that extends between the points I4 and l5. On each side of the slot are wings I6 that have longitudinally extending openings |1 as shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 3.v A movable jaw I8 of substantially triangular shape. is positioned be- 2 tween the sides I2 and mounted for rocking movement about pivot I9. Jaw I8 is composed of two parallel plates that are separated by spacers 2U and 2| to which they are attached by welding. Steel jaw plates 22 and 23 are positioned respectively between the sides I2 of the handle and the two spaced sides of jaw I8. Jaw plate 22 is secured to the handle by means of a pivot 24 about which it has a limited rocking movement and jaw plate 23 is mounted for rocking movement about pivot 25. A spring 26 has one end anchored at 21 and the other end connected with jaw plate 23 by means of pivot 23.

Pivot 28 is spaced some distance away from pivot 25 and therefore since spring 26 is under tension, it functions to maintain the face of jaw plate 23 parallel with the corresponding surface of jaw plate 22. Attention is called to the fact that the anchor 21 is secured to the sides I2 and that jaw I8 is provided with a notch 29 which receives pin 21 when jaw i8 moves to open position as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Secured `in the outer end of the tubular portion of handle l0 is a washer-like member 3U which may be welded in position. A steel bar 3|, which is provided near one end with a ange 32, is mounted for rotation in the opening in member 3U. The outer end of bar 3| has a screw driver slot 33 for use in rotating it.

The inner end of 'bar' 3| extends through an opening in the washer-like member 34 that has been shown as held in position by means of a screw 35. The inner end of bar 3| has a longitudinally extending groove 36. A helical coil spring 31 surrounds bar 3| and has one end abutting collar 32. A rnumber of steel anchor plates 38 are provided near one end with holes slightly larger than the outside diameter of bar 3|, the difference in size being sucient to permit the plates to slide longitudinally on bar 2| when they are perpendicular to the bar, but small enough to cause the plates to bind Whenthey are moved into an angularly related position in the manner which will hereinafter be described. Positioned on the bar is a sleeve 39 whose inner end terminates in an outwardly extending lange 40 which forms an abutment for the innermost plate 38. The inner end of sleeve 39 has a pin or other equivalent element 4| that extends into groove 3B and prevents sleeve 39 from rotating on the bar while permitting it to slide freely longitudinally thereon. The outer surface of sleeve 39 is threaded as indicated at 42 and carries a nut 43 that has an abutment plate 44 extending outwardly through bar 3| is rotated by means of a screw driver, it

also rotates sleeve 39 and since nut 43 cannot rotate, it will move longitudinally on sleeve -39' l and in this way the distance between the inner surface of the abutment plate and the innermost anchor plate can be varied. The purpose of this adjustment is to compensate for wear and to change the clamping action of the wrench in a manner which will presently be explained in greater detail.

A helical tension spring 41 has one end attached to jaw I8 at 48 and the other end anchored to handle IU at point 49. Spring 41 tends to turn jaw I8 to open position.

A lever 5|] is pivotally connected with jaw I8 at 5| and carries a toggle link 52 Whose outer end is pivoted thereto at 53. The inner end of link 52 has a nose 54 that rests on the abutment plate 44 when the wrench is in open jaw position as shown by full lines in Figure 2. Link 52 is also provided with a projection 55 that is in sliding engagement with the outer surface of the sleeve 39 and forms a fulcrum on which its free end turns when lever 50 is moved inwardly from the full line position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure v3. It will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 2 that when lever 50 is moved inwardly nose 52 will move outwardly along the abutment plate and at the same time jaw I8 will turn in a clockwise direction until the jaw plate 23 comes into engagement with the rod or nut to be clamped which has been shown by broken lines in Figure 2 and indicated by reference numeral 56. So long as there is no opposition to the clockwise movement of jaw I8, abutment plate 44 will not move against the force of spring 31 but as soon as the jaw plates engage the article to be clamped, jaw |8 can rotate no further and therefore, upon a further inward movement of lever 50, toggle link 52 will push the abutment plate and the anchor plates outwardly, towards the right when viewed as in the drawing. When the parts reach the broken line position in Figure 2, the nose will be at the point of leaving the abutment plate and on a further movement it will engage the inner surface of lug tilting plates 38 in a counterclockwise direction, whereupon they will lock on the bar 3|. A further inward movement of lever 56 will force thenose 54 onto the inclined surface 46 of lug 45 which then forms a rigid abutment, and there'- after an inward movement of the lever 50 willv put the toggle link'under compression forcing the jaw plates against the' nut or bar to be clamped. The parts are so adjusted that when lever 50 has `moved inwardlyto its innermost position," the toggle'will be slightly overset and will thereforevl hold the parts in adjusted position'. The pivots of thewtoggle, referring now to Figure 3, are 5I, 53 and 54`which, it can be seen, are slightly out of alignment in the closed or operative position of the wrench. A comparatively slight force exerted on the handle inthe direction of arrow'51 will? unlock thetoggle, whereupon spring 41 functions to open the jaws to the maximum position shown in full lines in Figure 2.

Attention is called to the fact that so long as jaw I8 is free to turn about pivot I9, abutment plate 44 will not move against the force of spring 31 and that the outward movement of the abutment and anchor plates does not commence until the jaws engage some solid article, whereupon further movement of the lever forces the nose 54 of the toggle link outwardly. Slightly before the toggle moves to a dead center position, nose 54 will engage lug 45 as above explained, turn anchor plates38 in a counterclockwise direction so as to lock them on bar 3|, whereupon lug 45 becomes a stationary abutment for the toggle link.

'l With the construction shown in the drawing and described above, the jaws will automatically move against the`surface of any article to be clamped, whether the same is a nut or a round rod, and as soon as jaw I8 meets an obstruction, the ltoggle abutment will automatically adjust itself to a position in which the desired clamping force` is obtained. l

By rotating sleeve 39 relative to nut 43, inA a direction to increase the distance between surface 46 and the inner surface of abutment plate 44, the amount of clamping force can be increased and by decreasing this distance the amount of clamping force is decreased, y

Thisr adjustment is mainly for the purpose of compensating for wear to obtain a suicient clamping force to hold the article. It is to be understood, however, that this tool, although it exerts al strong gripping force, is not intended to take the place of abench vise for heavy work, but is intended more particularly for use as a wrench or for use as a hand vise for holding articles while they are being filled or otherwise operated on. y l

Toggle link 52 is provided with a pin 58 that slides in slot |1 and holds the toggle in operative position. Pin 58 serves to make the link function to limit the outward movement of the lever because when the lever is in its outermost position, as shown in Figure 2, pin 58 engages the outer wall of slots I1 and any further force tending to move lever 5U outwardly, puts link 52 under tension.

From the above it will be apparent that the wrench shown and described is self-adjusting,y that is, it will grasp and clamp any article within its range without having to be adjusted for each size. It is also provided with means for electinga rapid adjustment of the iinal gripping pressureand to compensate for wear.

4Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A self-adjusting wrench of the toggle actuated grip type comprising, a handle having a fixed jaw at one end and an anchor bar connected with the other end, projecting towards the jaw, a laterally extending flange on the bar near its outer end, a coil spring enclosing the bar with one end abutting the flange, a plurality of' anchor plates slidably mounted on the bar, positioned against the other end of the spring, an elongated sleeve slidably but nonrotatably connected with the bar, an abutment sleeve threadedly connected with the iirst sleeve, an abutment plate projecting laterally from the abutment sleeve, in overlapping relation with the adjacent anchor plate, the latter extending beyond the end of the abutment plate, van anchor lug carried by' the anchor plate nearest to the abutment plate; extending .acrossthejend of the abutment.' plate; a;

l the outer corner `of the jaw, .a toggle link having one `end pivoted to .the lever .and the other terminating in a nose normally resting on the abutment plate, Athe end having the nose being also provided with an ear in sliding engagement with the sleeve, and resilientmeans urging the movable jaw .away :from :the xed jaw, the relationship of the free end of the toggle link, the abutment plate, the anchor plate and the .anchor plate lug being such that the anchor plate will remain substantially stationary while the movable jaw approaches an object to .be grasped and will then move outwardly against the pressure of the spring until the nose of the toggle link moves from the abutment plate to the anchor plate lug whereupon the anchor plates will bind on the bar and Aform a stationary abutment for the togglelink.

2. A self-adjusting wrench of the toggle actuated grip type comprising, a handle having one end provided with a rigid jaw, the other end being tubular and provided at its outer end with an inwardly extending annular shoulder, a hardened steel bar positioned in the hollow handle, with one end mounted for rotation in the opening in the shoulder, the bar having a flange in abutting relation with the inner surface of the shoulder, a compression spring on the bar, one end abutting the collar, a plurality of steel anchor plates slidably connected with the bar, the outer plate resting on the spring, an elongated sleeve slidably but nonrotatably connected with the bar, a sleeve threadedly connected with the elongated sleeve, said second mentioned sleeve having an abutment plate projecting laterally from its outer end in overlapping position with respect to the adjacent anchor plate, the anchor plate adjacent the abutment plate projecting beyond the latter and having an anchor lug eX- tending inwardly across the abutment plate, the end of the lug beinginclined towards the bar, a substantially triangular jaw having one end pivotally connected with the handle, a lever pivoted to the outer corner of the jaw, a toggle link having one end pivoted to the lever and the other end provided with a nose normally resting on the abutment plate, and with an ear normally engaging the sleeve, whereby when the lever is moved towards the handle the movable jaw will be brought into engagement with a member to be clamped, and thereupon the nose of the toggle link will move the abutment plate and finally move onto the inclined end surface of the abutment lug, whereupon the anchor plates will bind on the bar and provide a rigid abutment for the toggle link.

3. In a wrench having a handle having a fixed jaw at one end, integral therewith, a jaw pivotally attached to the handle for movement towards and away from the fixed jaw, the pivoted jaw being substantially triangular, one corner being spaced from the jaw on the handle, a lever having one end pivoted to the rear outer corner of the pivoted jaw and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a toggle link having one end pivoted to the handle, intermediate its ends, a steel bar carried by the handle, mounted for rotation therein, means limiting the rearward movement of the bar, with respect to the handle, in response to rearwardly acting forces, a coil spring of the compression type, enclosing the bar, a plurality of separate anchor plates carried by the bar, the rearmost plate forming an abutment for the inner end of the spring, a sleeve slidably mounted `on the bar, the rear end of the sleeve resting on the sinner anchor plate, means for resisting rotary movement of the sleeve relative tothe bar, an abutment sleeve threadedly-connected with the rst sleeve, an ,abutment plate extending laterally from the end ofthe abutment .sleeve nearest the anchor plates, means for adjusting the position of the abutment plate relative vto the 'anchor plate inresponse to a rotation `of the bar,

vthe free end of the toggle link resting von the abutment plate which forms part of the abutment sleeve, the free end of the toggle link having an ear that is normally in sliding engagement with the threaded sleeve and a nose'normally resting on the abutment plate, the jaws moving towards each other into object gripping position` when the lever is moved towards the v`handles, after the jaws engage the object the two sleeves and the plates will move rearwardly until the nose of the toggle link moves from the abutment plate to the adjacent anchor plate lug which will then anchor to the bar, forming a stationary abutment, whereupon further inward movement of the lever will force the jaws against the object.

4. A self-adjusting wrench of the toggle actuated grip type comprising, a handle having one end formed into a jaw and the other end hollow and tubular, a steel bar positioned in the tubular end and mounted for rotation therein, means resisting forces tending to move the bar longitudinally, a helical compression spring encircling the bar adjacent its outer end, a plurality of separate ysteel anchor plates slidably connected with the bar, one of which forms an abutment for the spring, the openings in the anchor plates being slightly larger than the cross sectional area of the bar to permit free sliding movement when the plates are in planes perpendicular to the bar and a binding action when they are tilted relative thereto, an elongated sleeve on the bar with one end in engagement with the adjacent anchor plate, an abutment sleeve threadedly connected with the elongated sleeve, means for resisting forces tending to rotate the elongated sleeve on the bar while permitting relative longitudinal movement thereon, an abutment plate extending laterally from the abutment sleeve in overlapping relation with the anchor plates, means for resisting forces tending to turn the abutment and the anchor plates relative to the handle, the anchor plate nearest the abutment plate having an anchor lug projecting inwardly across the plane of the abutment plate, a movable jaw pivoted to the handle, resilient means comprising a spring, connected with the movable jaw for rotating it away from the fixed jaw, a lever having one end pivoted to the movable jaw outside of its pivotal connection with the handle, a toggle link having one end pivoted to the lever, the other end having a nose in sliding engagement with the elongated sleeve and a projection in sliding engagement with the abutment plate, the parts being so arranged that when the lever is moved towards the handle the movable jaw will rst move towards the fixed jaw until the two jaws come into clamping engagement with a member to be secured between them after which further inward movement of the lever compresses the spring on the bar and transfers the nose oi the link onto the anchor lug and moves the toggle to overset position.

5. A wrench of the toggle actuated grip type having a handle provided at one end with a stationary jaw, a jaw pivotally connected with the `attached to the pivoted jaw at a point spaced from the pivot thereof, a toggle link having one end pivoted to the lever at a point intermediate its ends, an abutment for the toggle link connected with the handle for longitudinal movement, means comprising a spring normally urging the abutment towards the jaw pivot, means :for limiting the movement of the abutment in against movement relative to the handle, said means being normally inoperative, and means VRcontrolled by the angular position of the toggle link relative to the lever to render the latching means operative to hold the abutment stationary on further movement of the lever.

v NORMAN C. THAYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 350,935 Leslie Oct. 19, 1886 465,272 Iverson Dec. 15, 1891 578,249 Letteer l Mar. 2, 1897 2,280,005 Petersen Apr. 14, 1942 2,312,947 Westman Mar. 2, 1943 2,399,454 Snell Apr. 30, 1946 

